UEFA.com wonderkid: Meet the Como Inzaghi
Friday, February 2, 2018
Article summary
"The only things on his mind are Milan and goals," said AC Milan prospect Patrick Cutrone's youth coach and role model Filippo Inzaghi. "He can go a very long way."
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Name: Patrick Cutrone
Club: AC Milan
Position: forward
Nationality: Italian
Age: 20 (born 3 January 1998)
Preferred foot: right
Height: 183cm
They say ...
"I hope 2018 will be the year of [Patrick] Cutrone. He's been a nice surprise, but we need to remember that the difficult part comes now, when everyone expects a lot from him. However, Patrick has the right mentality so I'm sure he'll make it."
Riccardo Montolivo, Milan midfielder
“He has grit, he is humble and always works hard. He knows what it takes to make it at this level. Becoming famous will not change his mentality – that is his main strength. The only things on his mind are Milan and goals. He can go a very long way.”
Filippo Inzaghi, former Milan striker and Cutrone's coach at youth level
"He has to keep improving but he is capable of having career like Filippo Inzaghi's. He is also mature enough to keep his feet on the ground, despite his age."
Christian Abbiati, former Milan goalkeeper
Story so far ...
At Milan since he was eight, Cutrone made his Rossoneri debut in 2016/17, but really arrived in the summer when he scored twice in a pre-season friendly against Bayern München. Not the best technically, he compensates with a nose for goal, great finishing and boundless energy, whether haring forward or tracking back. The Under-21 international has hit five UEFA Europa League goals this term (including qualifying), while his extra-time winner in December's Coppa Italia quarter-final defeat of Inter Milan was "the best goal of my life".
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Call him ...
Pokemon (his nickname since childhood)
The Como Inzaghi
He says ...
"I don't like losing, I want to win even in training matches."
"I will always remember my first goal in the UEFA Europa League in front of a packed San Siro [v Universitatea Craiova in August 2017]. I still get goosebumps when I think about that goal."
“When I was a kid, I played football all the time; whenever I had a spare moment I would play with my brother and grandmother. I owe everything to my family."